Post by Patrick on Mar 26, 2009 16:03:15 GMT
A science teacher who secretly filmed shocking scenes of pupil
misbehaviour in Leeds for a TV documentary remains unrepentant
despite being banned from the classroom for a year
www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Banned-Leeds-teacher-stands-%20%20by.5110549.jp
Alex Dolan said she was "shocked and saddened" that a General Teaching
Council panel found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct
for raising matters of vital public interest.
The GTC panel ruled that Ms Dolan, who also exposed apparent attempts
to dupe Ofsted inspectors, breached the trust of pupils and abused
her position while recording secret footage at four schools in London
and Leeds in 2005.
In its judgment, the panel said it did not accept that the public
interest issues raised by the film, part of Channel 4's Dispatches
series, justified the use of covert filming.
But Ms Dolan, who was suspended from the teaching register for 12
months, said she still considered that she acted fairly and in the
wider public interest in exposing the damage done by disruptive
behaviour in the classroom.
In a statement released by Channel 4, Ms Dolan stood by her decision
to make the documentary. She said: "This is a sad day for
investigative journalism. Programmes like Dispatches have an
important role to play in drawing to the attention of the public
matters of concern whether these are in hospitals, within the police
force or in schools.
"I find it beyond comprehension that the GTC can spend three years
investigating me when they should be looking on their own doorstep.
Instead they have decided to sweep it under the carpet and persecute the whistleblower."
Ms Dolan also accused the GTC of failing to face up to and deal with
the serious problems that the film uncovered.
She added: "The GTC conduct committee are out of touch with what
really concerns teachers, parents and pupils and have missed a chance
to act as a catalyst for change."
misbehaviour in Leeds for a TV documentary remains unrepentant
despite being banned from the classroom for a year
www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/Banned-Leeds-teacher-stands-%20%20by.5110549.jp
Alex Dolan said she was "shocked and saddened" that a General Teaching
Council panel found her guilty of unacceptable professional conduct
for raising matters of vital public interest.
The GTC panel ruled that Ms Dolan, who also exposed apparent attempts
to dupe Ofsted inspectors, breached the trust of pupils and abused
her position while recording secret footage at four schools in London
and Leeds in 2005.
In its judgment, the panel said it did not accept that the public
interest issues raised by the film, part of Channel 4's Dispatches
series, justified the use of covert filming.
But Ms Dolan, who was suspended from the teaching register for 12
months, said she still considered that she acted fairly and in the
wider public interest in exposing the damage done by disruptive
behaviour in the classroom.
In a statement released by Channel 4, Ms Dolan stood by her decision
to make the documentary. She said: "This is a sad day for
investigative journalism. Programmes like Dispatches have an
important role to play in drawing to the attention of the public
matters of concern whether these are in hospitals, within the police
force or in schools.
"I find it beyond comprehension that the GTC can spend three years
investigating me when they should be looking on their own doorstep.
Instead they have decided to sweep it under the carpet and persecute the whistleblower."
Ms Dolan also accused the GTC of failing to face up to and deal with
the serious problems that the film uncovered.
She added: "The GTC conduct committee are out of touch with what
really concerns teachers, parents and pupils and have missed a chance
to act as a catalyst for change."
